New World, Fullalead (Hachinosu).
Ever since the Rocks Pirates were established and claimed this place as their stronghold, Fullalead had become a true "Island of Pirates."
In a tavern in the southeast of the island, a tall, hulking young man with horns on his head sat at the bar. He gripped a massive barrel of booze in one hand and a spiked metal club—a kanabo—in the other. A dozen men lay scattered around him; judging by their wounds and the fresh blood on the club, the horned man was clearly the culprit.
Surrounding him were over ten others, weapons drawn. The battle was far from over.
Such scenes were common on Fullalead. While the presence of the mighty crew enforced a certain level of order, infighting and slaughter were part of daily life. A single wrong word was often enough to spark a bloody brawl.
Behind the bar, a young girl watched the chaos with an air of indifference, silently polishing a glass. Her skin was smooth but a unique pale green, her eyes a striking red. Her ears resembled fish fins, and similar fin-like structures protruded from her elbows. She wore a simple one-piece swimsuit, with her aqua-blue hair tied back in a ponytail.
She held a small notebook, diligently recording every item broken in the room.
"Kaido, you're paying for everything you broke."
The horned man was none other than the future "Four Emperor" and the man who would be known as the "World's Strongest Creature": Kaido of the Beasts.
Currently, he seemed completely wasted. Hearing the word "compensation," his voice took on a sorrowful, drunken tone.
"Why...? They're the ones who started it... why do I have to pay in the end...?"
Kaido looked genuinely aggrieved, tears seemingly on the verge of falling. Anyone familiar with him knew this meant he was in his "Sad Drunk" phase. Drunken Kaido was a completely different beast from his sober self—emotional, sentimental, and prone to unpredictable mood swings.
"Hmph. Since you killed all the guys who started it, you're the only one left to pay!" the girl retorted.
"Worororo!! You've got a point... I guess I should be the one to pay then..."
The sadness vanished instantly, replaced by a boisterous laugh. Kaido seemed delighted by her logic. He threw back his head, drained the remaining liquor from the barrel, and tossed it aside, where it shattered. The girl promptly added another line to her bill.
As Kaido stood up with his club, the surrounding pirates tightened their grip on their weapons. Yet, despite their numbers, neither the pirates nor Kaido showed the slightest hint of hostility toward the little girl behind the bar.
"Kaido, you bastard! If you've got guts, step away from the bar!"
The pirates seemed to be afraid of something, hesitating to attack as long as Kaido remained near the counter. Kaido didn't respond; he simply stood up and assumed a combat stance.
As the brawl reignited, the tavern exploded into a cacophony of violence.
Thunder Bagua!
Kaido swung his club. The nearest pirate was sent flying like a discarded rag, smashing into a table.
"You idiot! Look where you're swinging!"
"Get him! Kill that guy!"
"Don't lose, Kaido! I've got money riding on you!"
The sounds of clashing weapons, breaking furniture, and the cheers of bloodthirsty spectators blended into a deafening roar. Meanwhile, the little girl sat calmly behind the bar, continuing her tally.
"Hey, hey! That table had sentimental value! That's an extra charge. Seven chairs, twenty-eight glasses, the floor..."
Suddenly, the tavern doors swung open. A man standing over three meters tall walked in. He had long black hair and wore blood-red robes. Physically, he appeared human, with red pupils that held a cold, indifferent gaze—though a hint of tenderness flickered when his eyes found the girl behind the bar.
The tavern fell into an instant, suffocating silence. Only Kaido's fight continued in the background.
Gulp...
The spectating pirates stopped cheering. They swallowed hard, nervously patting their companions to stop them from drawing attention.
"What's wrong?" a newcomer asked.
"Are you blind? Don't you see Logan is here?!"
The older pirate's eyes were filled with visible terror. He clearly knew how formidable this newcomer was. The man beside him, a rookie, sensed the shift and quickly backed away.
"Last time, he sparred with Captain Rocks for three days straight. If they'd been going all out, they would have sunk the whole island. He's a total... monster..."
The rookie pirate turned pale. He realized exactly what kind of powerhouse had just entered and retreated into the shadows, terrified of drawing his ire.
"Good afternoon, Big Brother Logan."
"Daddy, you're here!"
A hulking, dim-witted-looking man near the door greeted Logan, while the little girl behind the bar waved happily.
The man known as Logan was the reason no pirate dared show hostility toward the girl.
Logan was a "Transmigrator." He looked like an ordinary human—at least by the standards of this sea, where a three-meter height wasn't unusual—but he was actually a Fishman. While some Fishmen like Arlong have obvious aquatic features, others look almost entirely human. In this world, characters like Jack or Sasaki were examples of this. Logan was one of the latter.
"Nanamo, it's good to keep track of the damages," Logan said, looking at the girl. "But why didn't you make them take the fight outside?"
Nanamo, the girl behind the bar, quickly hid her notebook behind her back, looking sheepish.
Logan didn't press the issue. He turned his gaze toward Kaido. Although Kaido hadn't reached his full potential yet, dealing with these low-level pirates was easy for him. By the time Logan reached the bar, very few men were left standing.
In the heat of battle, Kaido had grown more excited. He grabbed a jug of wine from a shelf and chugged it, his drunkenness deepening.
Hic... Logan... you're here? Want a drink?"
Despite the offer, Kaido smashed the jug over the head of the last standing pirate. Blood and wine mingled on the floor, adding to the filth.
"Tch. Did you forget?" Logan's voice was cold. "I told you... don't cause trouble on my turf!"
In a blur of movement that no one could follow, Logan was suddenly at Kaido's side. He placed a hand lightly on Kaido's shoulder.
Cold sweat broke out on Kaido's forehead. His drunken haze cleared instantly.
"Logan..."
BOOM!
Logan didn't wait for him to finish. He delivered a "physical sobering" in his own way. Kaido's massive frame was slammed into the ground, his head nearly buried in the floorboards.
Logan then turned to Nanamo and held out his hand for the notebook.
"Logan... it was those guys... they started it..." Kaido muttered, rubbing his head as he sat up, trying to explain.
"Do you think I'm only going to help you 'sober up'?" Logan replied. "Restore this tavern to exactly how it was, or else..."
"Daddy, he's too clumsy, he'll just make it worse," Nanamo chimed in. "Just make him pay for it!"
Logan tapped Nanamo on the head with the notebook. She ducked, clutching her head and pretending it hurt.
"You think I don't know how much these things cost?" Logan said sternly. "Where were you planning to put the extra money you quoted?"
The prices in Nanamo's notebook were clearly inflated. If Kaido paid her total, there would be a significant "surplus" left over. It was a classic trick: don't fix the road, just keep the repair budget.
"My pocket money isn't enough..." she pouted.
"If it's not enough, just tell me. Don't play these little tricks."
Logan took the notebook and tossed a wallet to Nanamo.
"I remember you had plans with Katakuri and the others this afternoon. It's almost time. Go play."
Nanamo counted the cash in the wallet, flashed a "finger heart" gesture, and vaulted over the bar to leave. The large, dim-witted man who had greeted Logan earlier silently followed her.
This was the Island of Pirates, after all. Even with rules in place, letting a child run around alone was unwise. Within his own territory, she was safe, but outside, she needed a shadow.
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